Various kinds of imaging apparatus are known in the art. Typically, such an imaging apparatus includes an imaging device that can selectively form images on sheet media (paper, transparencies, etc.) in response to a corresponding electronic document file, generally known as a print job. An imaging device of this kind can be defined, for example, by a laser printer, an inkjet printer, a thermal imaging device, etc.
Furthermore, it is known to couple the imaging device of such an imaging apparatus with a sheet handling device (i.e., paper handler), so that various handling operations can be selectively performed on the sheet media after the formation of images thereon. Such handling operations can include, for example, stapling a number of imaged sheets together a single document, punching holes in the imaged sheet media so that such may be stored in a ring binder, etc. Imaging apparatuses of this general kind can be constructed through the coupling of functional modules (i.e., an imaging device and a sheet handling device), and can therefore be considered as modular imaging apparatuses.
In some usage environments, a number of similar modular imaging apparatuses are in use. On occasion, an imaging module (for example, a laser printer) can malfunction, thereby rendering an entire particular modular imaging apparatus unusable, despite the fact that the associated sheet handling module is still functional. Under such a circumstance, technically unfamiliar or otherwise unauthorized personnel can attempt to remove the still-functional sheet handler from the malfunctioning printer, and to re-couple it with another functional (or presumed functional) imaging module. This type of unauthorized module swapping or “mix-and-match” operation can result in damage to one or more imaging apparatus modules, including modules that were previously functioning normally. Other similar situations and related problems can also occur.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide apparatuses and methods of use that address the problems described above.